Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin Irish Language Policy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin Irish Language Policy CONTENTS 1. Introduction p.2 2. Scope p.2 3. Governance, Planning and Legal Compliance p.3 4. Services p.5 5. The Living Language p.7 6. Outreach and Contribution p.8 7. Appendices Appendix 1: Contexts p.10 Appendix 2: Stakeholders p.12 Appendix 3: Consultation Process p.13 Appendix 4: Complaints Procedure p.13 1 1. INTRODUCTION This policy outlines the commitment of Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin [hereafter referred to as ETrinityF] to the growth of the Irish language as a living language amongst its members and in wider Irish society. It details the ways in which Trinity supports the Irish language and will continue to do so. It also details the ways in which the Irish language contributes to Trinity. The primary purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for future development of the Irish language within Trinity, so that the numbers of active Irish speakers in the university community can increase and those Irish speakers’ needs can be met, using methods that are practical, effective and supportive of all staff involved in implementing the policy. In producing this policy Trinity also recognises that it is in a position to have a positive impact regarding the Irish language as a whole, in its influential role as a major Irish educational and cultural institution. The creation of this policy fulfils the following commitment in the Trinity Language Scheme 2013-2016, which was approved by Board and the Minister of State with Responsibility for Gaeltacht Affairs, in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003: E3.9 Irish Language Policy A formal Statement of College Irish Language Policy shall be submitted to Board for its approval. Target: end year one (17th November 2014).F This policy will be reviewed every 3 years or as necessary, as circumstances change. 2. SCOPE This policy applies to all staff and students of Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin. The services described within this document are available for use by all staff and students of the university, unless expressly stated otherwise. This policy is intended to benefit all in the Trinity community and also the wider local and national community outside Trinity. 2 Trinity staff will be supported in implementing this policy by the Irish Language Office, and it will be implemented in a collegial manner. 3 3. GOVERNANCE, PLANNING and LEGAL COMPLIANCE Trinity is committed to considering Irish language matters at a high level within its structures of governance, and to planning for the development of the Irish language in a strategic way, in accordance with the relevant legislation. Coiste na Gaeilge is a subcommittee of Board and its chair is an elected member of the Board. Coiste na Gaeilge normally conducts its business through the medium of Irish, though members or guests may of course address the committee in English if they so wish. Coiste na Gaeilge meeting minutes are provided to Board in both Irish and English. The Irish Language Officer acts as secretary to Coiste na Gaeilge. The other members of Coiste na Gaeilge represent a wide range of areas throughout Trinity, including academic areas, administrative areas and student bodies, as follows: • Secretary to the College • Deans • Council • Registrar of Chambers • Administrative and Support Services Area • Library • Department of Irish and Celtic Languages • Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences • Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science • Faculty of Health Sciences • Students' Union • Graduate Students' Union • An Cumann Gaelach Trinity will continue to include specific goals regarding the Irish language in its Strategic Plan, as was done in its Strategic Plans 2009-2014 and 2014-2019. Coiste na Gaeilge will also seek to contribute to the university’s other strategic goals, while maintaining the promotion of the Irish language as its primary aim. Trinity is committed to fully implementing the Official Languages Act and Regulations. The university will continue to include ambitious, effective and achievable commitments in its Language Schemes under the Official Languages Act, and to implement said commitments within the specified timeframe, subject to financial and staffing resources and constraints. The Irish Language Officer (reporting to Coiste na Gaeilge), the College Solicitor and the Secretary to the College monitor the implementation of language legislation and Language Scheme commitments within Trinity. Any member of the university community 4 or the public may contact the Irish Language Officer in relation to the implementation of the legislation and the schemes. The Irish Language Officer will deal with queries in a timely and helpful manner, seeking advice from the office of An Coimisinéir Teanga (the Language Commissioner) where appropriate. The Irish Language Office works with the university community and co-ordinates supports for staff in implementing the national language legislation, including help with responding to Irish language correspondence, producing English-Irish translations, and recording bilingual voicemails on main contact numbers. If a breach of the language legislation within Trinity comes to light, the Irish Language Officer will gather further information about the situation in the first instance, and will use this information to offer support and assistance to the local area in meeting the requirements of the relevant regulation(s). In such situations, local area staff and the Irish Language Officer will co-operate with each other, and with the office of An Coimisinéir Teanga where appropriate, to reach mutually satisfactory resolutions that ensure that the university is in full compliance with national language legislation. All areas in Trinity will receive at least one direct communication per year from the Irish Language Office informing them of the provisions in the Irish language legislation that apply to their area. Information on the language legislation, including the full texts of the Trinity Language Schemes, is also available on the Irish Language Office website (www.tcd.ie/gaeloifig/en/acht-na-dteangacha-oifigiula) and directly from the Irish Language Officer upon request. Heads of areas should ensure that their staff are informed of the relevant language requirements, and take appropriate measures to implement the language legislation in their area. The general policy is that local areas are responsible for any costs associated with implementing language legislation in their own areas, such as in the production of signage and stationery. It is fully recognised that local areas must prioritise their primary activities when budgeting. Most language requirements incur no financial cost for local areas, who are encouraged to avail of the free English-Irish translation service for staff offered by the Irish Language Office. The Irish Language Officer is happy to advise on specific compliance queries, and resources such as individual staff training will be made available to local areas where appropriate. As an overall principle, the Irish Language Office works closely with local areas to achieve compliance in a co-operative and mutually beneficial way. It is also acknowledged that the ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with language legislation in the university lies with the university itself. 5 4. SERVICES Trinity will continue to improve the amount and standard of services that it offers through Irish, and to maximise the visibility of its Irish language services, while giving due support to staff in providing these services. Trinity students and staff are made aware of their entitlements under the national language legislation by information provided on the Irish Language Office website, www.tcd.ie/gaeloifig. Irish language services offered by Trinity are publicised online and in hard copy publications. Subject to available resources and continuing relevance, all Irish language services currently offered by Trinity will be maintained, and the range and quality of Irish language services offered will be expanded and improved. Key Irish language services which Trinity aspires to maintain and improve include: Seomra na Gaeilge, the Irish language common room and events space An Scéim Chónaithe, the Irish language student residency scheme Free Irish language classes for all staff and students Customer Service in the Library, Enquiries Office and Provost’s Office Other Library services including catalogue access and guided tours Communications such as certain publications, press releases and social media Free English-Irish translation for staff by the Irish Language Office Trinity is committed to increasing awareness of its Irish language services by further publicising the available services and by encouraging students in particular to request services where they are offered. Students, staff and members of the public may enquire as to the availability of customer service in Irish in any area throughout Trinity, and all parties to such a request are expected to act respectfully and in a spirit of mutual co-operation. University staff are under no obligation to provide customer service in Irish where such a service has not been advertised, and where such a service does not form a part of their personal work programme. However, all staff are welcome to do business in Irish at their own discretion. The Irish Language Office offers advice and practical tools, such as physical signs indicating competence in Irish, to individual staff members who would like to do business in Irish on a voluntary basis. Where a service in Irish has been advertised, the policy is that it will be provided promptly and not at a lower standard than the equivalent service in English, allowing for unavoidable fluctuations in staffing levels and staff mobility. 6 While Trinity is committed under legislation and its Language Schemes to deliver specified bilingual customer services, this does not mean that staff who do not feel able to deliver direct services in Irish, whether in verbal or written form, will be obliged to do so. Staff delivering front-line bilingual services will be sourced on a voluntary basis.